Lapidaryforum.net

Let's Rock => Crystals => Topic started by: Kaljaia on February 28, 2021, 07:02:33 PM

Title: Stilbite
Post by: Kaljaia on February 28, 2021, 07:02:33 PM

There's a patch of big pink stilbite crystals in some welded tuff high up behind an annoyingly steep sandy slope. I wanted to try something with some stilbite though, so off we trekked today!
Got some good stuff I think.

(https://64.media.tumblr.com/ba791513bce4390d91e1e0303d8da643/07f156919e04df42-ae/s2048x3072/74d1ac0619f5c842483d6caea4cbf9f528424eb6.jpg)
(https://64.media.tumblr.com/2e0a3e39ba1d85d8ae680335f3868b91/07f156919e04df42-52/s2048x3072/c3c90c32d7a70377cf73f5ded96e8a5236453db0.jpg)
(https://64.media.tumblr.com/b5cecdee42cd97d29826ec0ebeb20b70/07f156919e04df42-14/s2048x3072/9299dd31472645e55801f29de3dc35ab5a0c9499.jpg)
(https://64.media.tumblr.com/23a513d36bbfad06cb3f4af1a23651c8/07f156919e04df42-23/s2048x3072/ff50511e8fb5a7a86ab6b5a1d21ff47520343463.jpg)
(https://64.media.tumblr.com/5c04fc4c959cdc53fad0b5877802de4e/07f156919e04df42-9d/s2048x3072/2f6d7ab610858f25084c7dc400ec3b5b37066c2e.jpg)

I am not sure if the crystal will hold together when cut flat across the base or not, and I won't experiment with the really nice ones on the plates but I have a handful of loose crystals from the pocket too. Has anyone here ever tried to work stilbite?

Title: Re: Stilbite
Post by: irockhound on February 28, 2021, 10:03:07 PM

Wonderful find!   A good day to be sure.

Title: Re: Stilbite
Post by: Felicia on March 01, 2021, 02:17:32 PM

Nice! Good sized, too.

Title: Re: Stilbite
Post by: Kaljaia on March 07, 2021, 09:03:57 AM

Some cleaned up pictures:


(https://64.media.tumblr.com/931c592424cfe8337d9a7c3ac427bff9/5a211fb218c7d9c8-c7/s2048x3072/55f6b475dd736ecc78317da9fcf667e86faf7e07.jpg)
(https://64.media.tumblr.com/f138647e59e135c4439229da32b1125a/5a211fb218c7d9c8-6c/s2048x3072/34e3003c09968a4b816ad1d3140910d3ecb2ffb6.jpg)
(https://64.media.tumblr.com/ac93653b29fc0b88752443603f030b11/5a211fb218c7d9c8-da/s2048x3072/1b6516c7fdfdd40d566fab17dca7225da70247ce.jpg)

I don't have a textile spot cleaner yet but I'm being told that's optimal for cleaning crystals. Just not sure if I want to drop $80 on one at this moment :P
The hope is to trim the base of loose big crystals and incorporate them into some projects using stain-glass foiling and solder. I don't have a safe torch setup so soldering irons are where it's at right now. I re-checked ONX because I wasn't paying attention when I went up there and this is on BLM, so if these work the way I want them to, I may invest in a claim on it next year. I'm being told these are very large, well-formed crystals for central Oregon stilbite; most big display stilbite seems to be coming from India these days and while I have nothing against import I like the challenge of all local materials!